Rayzoon Technologies LLC

[Tim Z]

I'm trying to use the Jamstix demo with Samplitude 7.23a. I currently don't do any midi, but want to demo Jamstix to see if it will work for what I want to do. My plan was to purchase both DFHS and Jamstix, if I liked what Jamstix did, but I can't get anywhere towards hearing anything from Jamstix.

I will only be working with audio tracks for now. I have a guitar track recording in Samp, and then loaded Jamstix into another track. I cannot figure out how to even have the guitar track input to jamstix.

Also, I can see the level meters on the Jamstix track going crazy (even when Jamstix is closed), but I can hear nothing. I have the track routed correctly, but maybe I have to set the output in jamstix, but again, there is nothing in the output section to set for this.

I just loaded in the the Jamstix default drumkit to demo at this time.

I have been through the online manual, but it is only helpful for CuBase and Sonar (not Samp) and there really is nothing about the basics to get started.

All I want to do is hear how well the program works, but I cannot get past square one

If anyone here uses Samplitude and can offer any guidance or a tutorial as to how to get started with the basics, it would be greatly appreciated.

I watched tutorial and it was also no help. I also cannot get any of the commentary sound from the tutorial, assuming there is some.

Cheers

t

[Ralph [RZ]]

Hi Tim,
there is a dedicated support thread for Samplitude in our support forum. Here's the link:

http://rayzoon.com/v-web/bulletin/bb/viewtopic.php?t=58

It appears that you may need Samplitude 8 for audio jamming.

Hope this helps!
_________________
Ralph Zeuner
Rayzoon Technologies LLC
http://www.rayzoon.com

[Tim Z]

[Ralph [RZ]]

It is a bummer. Good that you know Sekim, he's a real asset around here.

Hey, Sekim, Seeeeeeeekim, what's the latest on Samplitude & Jamstix? Any pointers that could identify the issues?
_________________
Ralph Zeuner
Rayzoon Technologies LLC
http://www.rayzoon.com

[Niko]

Hi Tim,
I am using Samp 8 as well, but I think Jamstix should work in 7.23 too.
Maybe if we go through it step by step we can get you started:

[sekim]

I'm getting odd results with the RC1.03. In Samplitude 7.23 and 8.11 and Tracktion 1.06 the AudioM8 meter is moving as expected and the JS "audio receive" LED is lit, and the audio in knob is twisted full clockwise but the velocity slider is hard left.

The good news is that AudioM8's meter is now moving in Samp 7.23 whereas the last time I tried it, it didn't. So once we figure out the rest of this (may be user error on my part?) I think it should work in 7.23.

I use midi input instead of audio, so please forgive my lack of knowlege on using JS with audio in. But I need to learn this side too because I'm sure I'll need it at some point...

[edit] I also posted this in the RC1.03 thread...

Audio In began to work fine after I slid the "smooth input" slider next to the audio in knob. Something must have been hung up from a preious version? Anyway it's working now in Samp 7.23 and 8.11 and Traction!

[Tim Z]

Thanks guys

Niko, I inserted the Audiom8 plug in the guitar track and Jamstix did start to respond now (i.e. velocity meter moving slightly). However, I still cannot hear any drums playing. What I can hear VERY FAINTLY, is a woman's voice randomly saying "jamstix". So we're getting somewhere because I never had this voice before. I have tried it with the Default kit and the Jamstix kit and all I get is this voice??

So I need to make I sure that I am doing the right thing with selecting and loading the kits, and also how to make sure that the levels and routing are correct for the Jamstix output.

The guitar track is plenty loud enough, but it sounds like Jamstix is going to be WAY too quiet, if I base it on the voice I am hearing.

I think some better more detailed instructions for beginners with the demo would be VERY useful. I would never have had any idea about inserting the audiom8 plug.

So now I need to figure out how to get drums playing and how to get them louder in the mix with the guitar.

Cheers

t

[Ralph [RZ]]

Hi Tim,
the voice is much quieter than the drums. Make sure of these things:

- 'Free Jam' is lit in jam tab
- Velocity slider must be more to the right then left. If audio is too low, turn the trim knob until the velocity rises
- make sure Samplitude is playing (bar,beat display in Jamstix must be incrementing)

You should now hear the drums.

You can also make sure that Jamstix itself is running fine by not using audioM8 at all at first and just putting Jamstix in Samp, clicking free jam and hitting play in Samp. The velocity slider should stay all the way left and after a few beats, Jamstix should play a groove.
_________________
Ralph Zeuner
Rayzoon Technologies LLC
http://www.rayzoon.com

[Tim Z]

Hi Ralph

- Yes, "Free Jam" has always been lit in the jam tab
- Couldn't find the Trim knob at first as it is not labelled as such, but found it after holding the mouse over it. This did make some difference, in that now I get random occasional drum hits that seem to have no relation to the groove of the song. Basically an occasional kick, snare or crash hit, but no goroove or rhythm. I may try to record a different guitar track as it may not like this one for some reason.
- Can't find anything in Jamstix that says "bar beat display", but Samp is definitely playing. I can hear the woman's voice and the occasional drum hit now, but that's it.

When I follow your instructions to get jamstix to play all by itself, I get nothing. All I get is the meter in Samp peaking out and then dropping down. It continues to do this, but I can hear nothing in the monitors. No groove is being played.

I'm stumped

t

[sekim]

Hi Tim - sorry you're having a tough time trying it out... Do these steps and see what you get:

1) Start a new VIP with 2 tracks

2) Load a guitar audio file on track 1 of the VIP

3) Add the AudioM8 VST to track 1

4) Load JamStix as a VSTi on track 2

5) When Samp asks if you want to create extra tracks for the VSTi outputs, say no

6) Click the JS "Jam" tab and then the "Keyword" jam button. Then just choose one from the list and double click it so it shows up on the right side list.

7) make sure to select "jam with audio" on the low right corner of JS and adjust the knob as needed.

This should give you sound out of both tracks.

Samp's tempo needs to be sync'd to the guitar track in order for JS to play in time with the guitar track and of course the object needs to be properly aligned to Samp's grid...

I just did it this way in 7.23 and it works, let me know how it goes for you.

[Tim Z]

Okay I uninstalled JamStix and then reinstalled it, as there was an error message coming up sometimes, and I can now get some drums playing.

Mike, I followed your instructions, which is basically exactly what I was doing before the reinstall; but for some unknown reason, now it works.

Problem now is that it sounds like a total retard drummer now. It sounds like a guy who never played drums before and can't keep time. Although this may be a result of the guitar track not having been played to a metronome. So are you saying that all tracks have to be played to a click in order for Jamstix to jam with it? I was hoping it could/would jam to any audio track. Kicks, snares, crashes are all in totally the wrong places.

Also, I think my style may be too much jazz for this program. The rhythms it is coming up with are not good, and not even in time.

I'll have to post at the Samplitude forums as I cannot get the internal metronome to work in record mode. It will only work in play mode, so I was unable to record a new guitar track with a click track. However, I don't normally play any of my music to a click, and prefer not to. So if a click is required, then Jamstix is not my thing.

I need it to handle ALL styles of music (i.e. Jazz, BLues, etc.) and handle ALL time signatures (i.e. 7/4, 5/4 etc.) Looks like I am going to have to make up with my drummer.

Thanks

t

[Ralph [RZ]]

[Tim Z]

Thanks Ralph, and thanks for helping me out with all this. I guess I'll have to either continue using a real drummer, or learn to write better parts manually.

Cheers

t

[Ralph [RZ]]

You could experiment with tempo extraction. Just take something you can bang on and record yourself banging on it in synch with your guitar track. Then use a tempo extraction function (Sonar has one built in, not sure about Samp) on your bang track. This will give you a tempo track which the sequencer and Jamstix will follow.
_________________
Ralph Zeuner
Rayzoon Technologies LLC
http://www.rayzoon.com

[Tim Z]

Okay, I finally got Samplitude to record with the audio metronome and I re-recorded a quick guitar part with the metronome at 115 BPM. I then loaded in JamStix and have spent hours trying to get it to play and sync to this guitar track. Here are links to MP3's of the guitar part alone and the guitar part with what Jamstix plays to that guitar part. The guitar tracks is in time with the metronome at 115 BPM. Obviously there are some pushed and syncopated chords.

http://www.streamload.com/Zuropak/SlurpyDemo1.mp3

http://www.streamload.com/Zuropak/SlurpyDemo2.mp3

As you can hear, the drums are totally out of whack. It doesn't appear to be syncing at all to the guitar track or Samp's metronome at 115 BPM. Plus it is not analyzing the song correctly at all. What the heck am I doing wrong?

t